A New Ending of the Odyssey
by L-wish
Summary: Odysseus remarries Penelope


Sarah Koos  
  
1.1 Eng. 9 blue  
  
2 The lost book of the Odyssey  
  
So Athena commanded. Terror blanched their faces, they went limp with fear, and weapons slipped from their hands and strewed the ground at the goddess' ringing voice. They spun in flight to the city, wild to save their lives, but loosing a savage cry, the long-enduring great Odysseus, gathering all his force, swooped like a soaring eagle---  
  
Just as the son of Cronus hurled a reeking bolt that fell at her feet, the mighty Father's daughter, and blazing-eyed Athena wheeled on Odysseus, crying, "Royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, master of exploits, hold back now! Call a halt to the great leveler, War--- don't court the rage of Zeus who rules the world!"  
  
So she commanded. He obeyed her, glad at heart. Great Odysseus with father, son of Arcesius, both seemed like that of a deathless god, in deep gratification the royal father and son returned again to their familiar palace. Icarius's daughter, wise Penelope rushed again towards Odysseus, flinging her arms around him. She leaned against him in the radiant glow of the moonlight, glad to have him in her sight again. They sat together, engaging in questions, Penelope's heart no longer like that of a rock, but joyous in her newfound comfort. As night slipped away and young dawn with her rose-red fingers shone, wise Penelope and great Odysseus, son of Laertes had chosen to renew their vast and infinite love, unchanged in the sorrowful years that great Odysseus was gone, loyal Penelope still disheartened at home in Ithaca.  
  
To renew this profound love, Odysseus and Penelope, deciding on a place for a wedding, torn now-- whether to wed again on their native land of Ithaca, or the stunning island of Cydophyne, the island where young Telemachus was conceived so long ago. With the joys of love relishing in their minds, they chose the stunning island of Cydophyne.  
  
Odysseus called to his fond old nurse Eurycleia, Eurynome, the herald Medon and the bard, whose life was spared, and spoke with wise and winning words, asking for their help in preparation for the celebration.  
  
"A hallmark island to our people, the island of Cydophyne where prince Telemachus was once created through acts of passion, prepare us a ship of gold, as swift and elegant as that of a deathless god. Gather all royal guests, maids and servants. Gather all my now peaceful people with news of our renewing love for each other, like birdmen holding unsullied seeds to their pigeons. Gather everyone to bring to Cydophyne to celebrate this great renewal of our outstanding love!"  
  
Soon enough, on a golden ship hastily gliding the mighty waves of Poseidon, royal son of Laertes' Odysseus, his wife Penelope and all the peaceful people of Ithaca arrived at the stunning island of Cydophyne just as dawn with her rose-red fingers shone. In front of the gleaming ship of gold with the people of Ithaca on it, stood Cydophyne. The gasps of the people echoed throughout the desolate wide stretched sea as they looked on with glowing eyes at the stunning island before them.  
  
Blue painted waves brushed the rough shining sands surrounding the ample view of greens. Verdant peaks of jungle scanned the endless reaches of the sea. Vibrant breaks of lush flowers amidst the shrubbery shimmered in the radiant sun of Zeus. But past an opening in the luxuriant woods stood a godlike palace, a grand palace of great Odysseus and wife Penelope that was built by hands the best of their time and ability for the celebration of Odysseus and Penelope's first wedding, many years past. Meticulous carvings of marble and ivory towered in the center of the island. Behind a grand doorway of pure white marble, with an everlasting glow where never once have the good strong winds unleashed by Zeus unsealed the palace's glory—lay a brilliant hall filled with richly painted and ornately carved chairs where through the years numerous legendary people have been seated to share joyous times with great Odysseus and royal wife Penelope. After many long hours of speedily rowing to Cydophyne and a hero's welcome the peaceful people of Ithaca went each to his own room where Athena sealed all their eyes with welcome sleep.  
  
Meanwhile not too far off the stunning coasts of Cydophyne, on cunning Odysseus' native ground of Ithaca still stood a few of the reckless suitors parents, whose wishes of glorious revenge stuck out first in their minds, and were one way or another overlooked by the bright-eyed goddess Athena, they still spitefully yearn to see cunning Odysseus, and brave prince Telemachus' blood washed across their own royal floor. So, alone on their homeland, maliciously plotted the best way to achieve revenge.  
  
Two influential parents of the careless suitors stood out of the crowd, speaking with winning words to other overlooked raging parents, untamed Atromete and Deinyes, shouting to the rampant parents of their sons newly received to the house of the dead. Throwing fists to the sky they raved at the idea of finally killing Odysseus, Telemachus and all of his supporters. With the speed of a lightning bolt that Zeus might hurl to the ground, they sailed to Cydophyne with freshly varnished armor.  
  
Hurriedly, racked with angst, Athena recognized this ordeal, and spoke to Zeus.  
  
"Father, son of Cronus, you told me it was me who conceived this unluckiest life for Odysseus, but against my memory of commanding their dreading faces, peace being made, there is again a plot to kill this luckless man. Will you not hinder or interfere at all in stopping these relentless men!"  
  
"My child, it is true, this is the plan you conceived yourself, from the day all ships left harbor for the Trojan war, but you are a god, and the power is yours no doubt to stop this calamity you have shaped." Again as a deception, Athena left Mount Olympus, with the facade of Odysseus honorable friend Mentor.  
  
As untamed Atromete led the ship and vengeful Deinyes thrilled the raging parents, hurling insults to unaware Odysseus that ring throughout the night sky sitting gently on the mighty rolling ocean. The vile parents drove on like fearless hunt dogs, ignorant of all but their prey, conniving for that one slice of meat. Once unleashed, chasing their prey, at all other expense, merely for the feeling of pure bliss in that they have triumphed, and captured and killed. These animal acts of hunting are the shameful acts of these ignorant men.  
  
As dawn woke up from her bed with her rose-red fingers, Penelope and the royal son of Laertes' Odysseus prepared for the feasts and festivals to come for the celebration.  
  
Thick meats, and freshly washed berries and wine soaked bread covered the tables creating an essence of a godlike feast, attended by the gods themselves. The chairs full with comrades of joyful spirits. Great Odysseus with a once sorrowful heart ripping at him now feasted on sides of meat and heady wine, with his princely son and royal wife at his side. No longer a family worn down with pain, drinking without fear of any suitor in the pack. As Odysseus spoke they all shouted proudly endorsement of him. Each guest with his own maid and wine seemed to forget any hardship ever endured, busy marveling and prizing at the godlike king, and opulence before them. While toasting, and rejoicing in divine contentment, it was not too far away that the cunning parents followed untamed Atromete and vengeful Deinyes to the hidden masterwork of palace, Athena still far behind and still in deceptive attire.  
  
When, with the speed of Zeus's thunderbolts, a stabbing arrow shot across the hall, just lifting it's way around Odysseus to the glass wine flagon, bursting, wine washed the floor and pieces of glass slashed and sliced Odysseus legs and feet. A vivid memory of a great boar gashing suddenly at him, as the glass reopened a cut from Odysseus childhood flashed through Odysseus' cunning mind. As brave as he is, he was a man born to pain; with too many grieving stories to tear him apart, he could not stand. The guests, gripped with terror, looked to inspired Telemachus. Fearless Telemachus gazed intently at the two intruders with deep eyes of a hero. Before him stood untamed Atromete and vengeful Deinyes and behind them a furious crowd with eyes of hunting dogs still keen on finding their prize. As the loyal people of Ithaca pulled razor swords from their calm belts, and faithful Penelope shielded herself in the arms of her wise husband, great Odysseus, Telemachus stood up with all the poise he had and spoke with profound and captivating words.  
  
"My father, great Odysseus, born a man of pain, born unlucky had to cope with inconceivable suffering, indescribable pain and sorrow, away from native land so long, where your reckless sons, raised just so, as irresponsible savages, cocksure that you would bled our home to death, wowing my own mother while my great father still alive! I doubt one of you tried to convince your son that great Odysseus would return, but have you no fear of the gods, still ruling the sky, have you no respect for such a godlike man? Do you not wish to prize this great king? I should make bloody filth of you for allowing such an outrage in your own native land, for losing hope that Odysseus would return, for losing thought that he was still faithful to all of his people, struggling and suffering to return to everyone! Tonight I take my father's stance, Odysseus, mastermind, his stance of a god and hero and command you. Do not fight us, drop your shields and weapons for there is no group or pair more powerful than Odysseus and I, Father and son so do not try to fight us, for we will make masses, corpse on corpse of you, as we did your own sons!" It was then that Telemachus rose to a man, who equaled if not surpassed his father's godlike essence, with broad shoulders and the stance of a heroic god. Bright-eyed Athena looked on still disguised in Mentors well built shape, having taken no part in Telemachus' new glory. Untamed Atromete, vengeful Deinyes and all the people behind them fell to their knees, crawling towards Odysseus, sobbing their regrets, Atromete spoke out.  
  
"King Odysseus, prince Telemachus, royal guests, please forgive me for not remembering! Please do not blame me, so much reckless outrage, their in your own palace, but we did not understand! We craved only revenge for our sons deaths, but more so should have been grieving your pain, and all that you bore to return to us, to save Ithaca from the damage it was being driven to by our own sons!" He lay, weeping before great Odysseus and Telemachus, with all honesty, striking the vengeful heart of Deinyes, now too bawling.  
  
"What ways can we pay you back for all the crimes our sons committed, though death was their own god-chosen fate and doom, we only now possess the appreciation that you defend yourselves against our outbreak, only know that we know of the horrible things you suffered in order to reach home, call us your people again, your comrades, your defenders, we will not fight you, but if ever can, be proud to fight for you, great kind Odysseus!"  
  
As Odysseus with pain, but pride shining in his eyes stood up with his son, not above, but with his son the people of Ithaca cheered vociferously, weeping for their great king Odysseus. And after long years of hardship, Odysseus at last spoke to all of his people.  
  
"My people, of rocky Ithaca, native homeland. I left you to defend you, and struggled to stay alive—sorrow gripping at my heart for my family and my people, I succeeded through much pain and atrocious times, but I am home, home to my family and my people, that tie all the land together, even the high god's mountain of Mount Olympus. Telemachus—prince, and son, brings me much pride, no one could receive greater delight in seeing their son mature, and attack their responsibility like a powerful army drives into the terrifying face of a battle. Today is the day, I renew my love for faithful Penelope, the day I join with all my people to celebrate as a peaceful whole, and the day that what brings to me most pride, Telemachus, is equipped to be king!"  
  
Beside great Odysseus, stood prince Telemachus, not so long ago, a boy that with no doubt, somehow exceeded his father's godliness, and in fact stood hero, to his people, and to his family. Though, is still passed on that Athena handed down her pacts of peace between both sides for all the years to come—the daughter of Zeus whose shield is storm and thunder, yes, but the goddess still kept Mentor's build and voice. 


End file.
